Parents of Missing 7-Month-Old Emmanuel Haro Arrested for Murder

The case of a missing baby in California that quickly touched the nation has taken an unexpected turn now that his mother has allegedly stopped cooperating with detectives after she was "confronted with inconsistencies in her initial statement," according to a press release from the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department.

Rebecca Haro reportedly "declined to continue with the interview" when confronted with those inconsistencies and requested a lawyer, per CrimeOnline. The child's grandmother, though, told KTLA that a lawyer was only requested after Rebecca was asked to take a lie detector test, and that it was her husband Jake who requested it.

Nevertheless, as a result of the couple's decision, the SBSD said in its statement that "at this point in the investigation, investigators are unable to rule out foul play in the disappearance of Emmanuel."

The woman's story first gained national attention last week when she claimed that someone knocked her out on August 14 in the parking lot of a sporting goods store while she was in the process of trying to change her son Emmanuel's diaper. She had gone there to pick up a mouthguard for another son, leaving her husband and two other children at a nearby park for football practice.

"I came over here and parked right on the edge," she told ABC affiliate KTLA at the scene of the alleged crime. "When I was driving over, I smelled the baby had gone to the restroom, so I said, ‘Don't worry, we are going to change you.'"

Rebecca said that she changed him right on the seat of the car, laying him next to the car seat, when it happened. "I was going to get the diaper, and somebody said, ‘Hola,’ and I don’t remember anything since," she said through tears. "I woke up here on the floor, and I didn’t see Emmanuel."

The mother, who was sporting a black eye when interviewed by KTLA, said she "checked all around my truck" and ran into the store to try and find her son before calling 911. Police responded with K9 scent-tracking dogs and a helicopter to aid in their search, but were unsuccessful.

"Whoever took my son, please return him," Jake told KABC. "We just want him back. We won’t do anything to you. Just give us our son. Keep him safe, don’t hurt him, make sure you feed him and change him."

Further complicating the case, according to The U.S. Sun, is the criminal background history of Jake Haro. The outlet reports that he has a June 2023 conviction of willful child cruelty after a 2018 arrest.

Jake received a 72-month suspended sentence with 180 days in jail and 48 months probation for that conviction, with KTLA noting that he is also scheduled to appear in court in early September for an alleged probation violation.

On Sunday, KTLA reported how the new information has impacted search efforts, as well as how authorities are handling the case. According to the outlet, the Haros' 2-year-old child has been removed from the home, which was searched by cadaver dogs.

They also report that an independent group dedicated to helping find missing children, the Uvalde Foundation for Kids, has withdrawn its offered $5,000 reward and suspended its own search efforts.

Emmanuel was reported to be wearing a black Nike onesie when last seen. He has brown hair and brown eyes, one of which is crossed. The infant weighs approximately 21 pounds and is about 24 inches tall, according to authorities. The investigation is open and ongoing.

If anyone has any information on the case, they're encouraged to contact the Specialized Investigation Division at 909-890-4904, or anonymously to We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or at wetip.com.